There 24 products in this category
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Tio Pepe
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Tio Pepe
Gonzalez Byass is the 2010 IWSC Winemaker of the Year.
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Valdespino
The bouquet shows notes of both the biological and oxidative ageing, yeast, bread, but also dried fruits and a hint of toffee, caramel and leather. Very dry, very complex, with a generous body and well balanced acidity. Tio Diego is the flagship Amontillado from Bodegas Valdespino, directly related to the Fino Inocente. Both wines are made with must from 56 ha of vineyards in Macharnudo Alto, fermented with indigenous yeasts in old oak casks instead of temperature-controlled stainless steel like all other sherry producers nowadays. They fill around 200-300 casks per year, giving them a large array of slightly different wines. Once fortified to 15% and aged under flor for at least one year, the casks are all tested and enter the solera of either the Fino Inocente or the Amontillado Tio Diego. Mind that one is not exactly a longer aged version of the other, they are separate wines, made from the same must. Both parallel solera systems have a similar set-up (10 criaderas + solera row) but the rotation is different: while the Fino is bottled twice a year (spring and autumn) and refreshed with new sobretabla, the Amontillado is only bottled once a year by the end of autumn. Slower rotation results in a higher average age: while Inocente is 10 years old upon bottling, Tio Diego is around 18 years.
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Bodegas Gratias
"Comboi", is a local Valencian expression that is used when a group of people come together to have a good time, full of enthusiasm and joy, a bit like the wine! This is a Pet Nat lightly sparkling wine created "metodo ancestral" from 100% Bobal grapes. Strawberry coloured fizz made with minimal intervention, offering up fine bubbles, aromas of red fruit and brioche notes. An enticing bitter dry twist on the finish adds freshness and makes this perfect to serve with food.
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Valdespino
"Suffice to say this is the finest, darkest, sweetest, most intoxicating PX I have ever tasted. Valdespino is one of the ‘100 Most Iconic Wine Estates’ in my book." Matthew Jukes www.matthewjukes.com The NV El Candado Pedro Ximenez, produced from sun-dried Pedro Ximenez grapes for two weeks, and aged in a solera for an average of 8-10 years, is bottled with 400 grams of sugar and 17% alcohol. Mahogany color, the nose is a symphony of candied, dried fruits, raisins, figs and dates. The palate is clean, very sweet and spicy, and should be consumed quite fresh (10 degreess C), with chocolate dessert (or as a dessert in itself). Rating: 90 Luis Gutierrez, www.robertparker.com
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Pares Balta
Hisenda Miret comes from the old vines planted on the Cal Miret estate. It is an almost extinct Grenache in the Penedès that will captivate you with its attractive elegance and its sweet mouthfeel. "This bold red marries ripe flavours of cherry, red plum and vanilla with tangy, citrusy acidity in a lively, sweet-tart character. Notes of mountain herb, spice and cocoa add interest. Angular yet generous." Wine Spectator Magazine Thomas Matthew
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Valdespino
"Produced with Palomino grapes from the Miraflores vineyard and aged for five years under yeast. Easy to drink, with a sweet note of apples in the nose, a polished and gentle palate, ending with a saline touch." Rating: 89 Luis Gutierrez, www.robertparker.com
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Valdespino
"The NV El Candado Pedro Ximenez, produced from sun-dried Pedro Ximenez grapes for two weeks, and aged in a solera for an average of 8-10 years, is bottled with 400 grams of sugar and 17% alcohol. Mahogany color, the nose is a symphony of candied, dried fruits, raisins, figs and dates. The palate is clean, very sweet and spicy, and should be consumed quite fresh (10 degreess C), with chocolate dessert (or as a dessert in itself)." Rating: 90 Luis Gutierrez, www.robertparker.com
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Valdespino
Jancisrobinson.com 17.5/20 Very deep nose, hints of oxidative character. Very salty, intense, marine and well sheltered by a toasty character. More complexity and depth than an everyday fino. Broad palate with saltiness and concentration, very toasty flavours. Rich and impressive. Imperative tasting for sherry lovers." Cracking value here for an outstanding 100% Palomino, single-vineyard fino sherry rarity from the calcium-carbonate-rich, ‘albariza’ white soils of the celebrated Macharnudo vineyard. Light bodied with low acidity, fino sherries have been ‘biologically’ aged in partially filled casks under a film of flor yeast which shields the wine from oxidation, whilst reducing glycerol levels (and thus body). This one’s super-refined, tangy, crisp, texturally delicate but also complex, with an average age of 10 years: think almonds, moss, sea salt, green apples and toasty yeast. A ludicrously low price tag for the wine world’s best-kept secret. Relish as soon as possible. One for white asparagus, griddled/steamed green asparagus with aioli/ hollandaise or grilled asparagus with romesco sauce/poached eggs. Of course, it’s also dreamy with a plate of ambrosial jamón ibérico! An open bottle should be drunk within two to three days. Gently chill and serve at 8°- 9°C (I recommend taking the bottle out of the fridge about ten minutes before serving).
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Familia Torres
This Muscat wine has had the alcohol removed. Pale yellow, very clean and grapey aromas. Fresh and bright on the palate.
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Vilarnau
A superb off-dry Prosecco alternative produced exclusively for the UK market by Eva Plazas, the ever dynamic winemaker at Vilarnau Cava. Produced from a blend of indigenous grape varieties, Macabeo, Parellada and Subirat Parent, aromatic primary fruits on the nose lead to a palate with excellent balance between acidity and sweetness. Using the highly aromatic and rare Subirat Parent grape as part of the dosage (15g/l) is inspired.
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Raul Pérez
"2020 was a very good year for whites, and they harvested very early. The 2020 Ultreia Godello shows restraint and very low pH (3.2!) with high acidity (6.6 to 6.8). None of the whites go through malolactic, and this is the freshest vintage of this wine so far. This is now made with mostly own grapes from Cacabelos and Ponferrada (in 2022 they will own around 80% of the vineyards used for this wine), matured in a mixture of barriques, oak foudres and some concrete. It's super tasty, mineral and finishes dry. There are some 30,000 bottles of this wine. Drink 2022-2026." 93/100 Luis Gutierrez, Wine Advocate, January 2022 "The enigma that is Raúl Pérez continues to enthral wine lovers the world-over with his own-brand of inspiring, light touch winemaking. Having almost single-handedly put Bierzo on the map, Raúl’s guru-like status (and appearance!) has inspired a whole new generation of dynamic winemakers across the entirety of Spain." "As new vineyards come in to production the main white of the project is now produced from majority estate fruit, mostly from the eastern part of the Bierzo zone, on schist and clay soils, from vines averaging 30-35 years old. Harvest here takes place a full 20 days later than in Valtuille, yielding grapes with high natural acidity and only 11-12% potential alcohol, which provides excellent blending material. 25% is sourced from Cacabelos on deeper clay-stony soils, and the final 25% from Valtuille where the vineyards have a higher percentage of sand in the soils. All plots are fermented in oak tank and assembled just before bottling. Aging takes place in barrels of various sizes and ages. The 2020 has a really good freshness and bright, zingy personality – moreish but with plenty going on, it is always on the youthful citrus, white fruit and flowers."
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Bardos
Spain is really upping its game with its delicious white wines and this high altitude cool refreshing Rueda is an excellent example. Vibrant aromas of white peach, citrus and grass. Fruity, fresh palate, really elegant.
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Bardos
The Bardos Reserva is an elegant high-altitude expression of Ribera del Duero wine made from low-yielding Tempranillo and Cabernet Sauvignon. Aged for 14 months in oak, it has excellent structure from balanced tannins and acidity, alongside complex notes of dark fruit, chocolate and vanilla spice.
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Equipo Navazos
A fine Manzanilla that's powerfully aromatic. Fresh, with a salty tang, with plenty of acidity together with a very satisfying lemon twist to the finish. A natural Product with plenty of colour, weight and concentration.
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Bodegas Altolandon
A deep cherry colour with violet tints. Nose is intense with aromas of ripe red seasonal fruit, subtle hints of violets, rosemary and a touch of black pepper. This Bobal shows distinctive power, vibrant fruit, freshness with soft and ripe tannin. Bobal, ancient and native to the parched plains inland from Valencia grows in gnarled bush-vines like the Shiraz of Barossa. Yields are small and concentration epic. This slinky number is dark and dense but wonderfully juicy, with a coconut spice from oak barrels. A forgotten corner of the wine world, but gosh what a bargain. Certified Organic. Bobal is Spain's second most widely planted red grape but is far less familiar to most wine lovers than the most widely planted, Tempranillo. This good-value, unoaked example is grown at high altitude on north- and south-facing slopes by the Altolandon estate, 90 minutes north of Valencia. Deeply coloured, it has some of the rusticity that is associated with the grape, with attractive, slightly spicy blue- and blackberry fruit. Fairly simple, with lightly grippy tannins and good acidity - try it with lamb chops.
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Castillo del Moro
Ruby red colour with violet tints showing its youth. On the nose it is fresh and elegant with characteristic aromas of cherry and red fruits typical of this variety. Light, harmonic and round on the palate with soft tannins.
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Castillo del Moro
This modern, crisp white demonstrates bright citrus characteristics on the nose, while offering deliciously vibrant apple fruit flavours and a zesty twang courtesy of the Sauvignon Blanc on the palate. A long clean finish with hints of grapefruit.
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Francesc Ricart
Pale yellow colour, with floral and honey hints, it is fresh, balanced, fruity, and with fine bubbles from 14 months bottle ageing. Fun, frothy, delicious, not taking itself seriously, very moreish. Ideal as an aperitif and for accompanying seafood.
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Pares Balta
Deep purple colour, with ruby notes at the edge. An intense, complex and aromatic nose of red fruit preserve and toasty oak leads into a palate that is initially soft before the ripe tannins and fresh, slaty acidity add structure to the flesh. Rich but not at all heavy, the fruit and mineral flavours continue into the long, fresh finish. Gratavinum was established in 2003 when the owners of Parés Baltà - brothers Joan and Josep Cusiné and their winemaking wives Maria Elena Jiménez and Marta Casas - decided to invest in the wild Priorat landscape. The estate, which takes its name from the contraction of Gratallops (the name of the village where the winery is located) and Vinum (Latin for wine), is run by the Cusiné family and winemaker Jordi Fernandez. Today, Gratavinum possesses 17 organically-farmed hectares of terraced vineyards, which are rich in Llicorella, a slate and quartz soil. Working with old vines of indigenous grapes as well as newcomer varietals, they produce powerful structures wines with the distinctive mineral character of Priorat.
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Gonzalez Byass
Rich, sweet and velvety smooth on the palate, Nectar shows complex flavours of caramel, dried fruits, figs, mocha, nuts and spices and is a perfect match for all sweet desserts.
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Bodega de Bardos
Old low-yield vineyards, located in Quintanilla de Onésimo, with great mesoclimate and soil conditions. Aged 14 months in second hand French oak barrels. Deep purple ruby, youthful. Cool, menthol, blueberry, graphite nose, exciting. Intense palate, plenty of tannins but chock full of bramble, blueberry fruit, decent acidity and earnest concentration. Will be very good from 2022 onwards.
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Familia Torres
The wine is dealcoholised by using spinning cone columns in a form of low temperature vacuum steam distillation to gently extract alcohol from the wine while minimising the effect on the taste of the wine.
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Pazos de Lusco
Meaning ‘sunset’ in the local Galician dialect, Lusco is a vibrant, bright, and relatively full-bodied Albariño. It has a powerful nose with aromas of fresh herbs, tropical fruits and floral tones. Fresh and complex on the palate, the wine is unctuous, soft and refined.